Publication Date

July 2005

Publication Details

Valadkhani, A and Worthington, A, Ranking and Clustering Australian University Research Performance, 1998-2002, Working Paper 05-19, Department of Economics, University of Wollongong, 2005.

Abstract

This paper clusters and ranks the research performance of thirty-seven Australian universities over the period 1998-2002. Research performance is measured according to audited numbers of PhD completions, publications and grants (in accordance with rules established by the Department of Education, Science and Training) and analysed in both total and per academic staff terms. Hierarchical cluster analysis supports a binary division between fifteen higher and twenty-two lower-performing universities, with the specification in per academic staff terms identifying the self-designated research intensive ‘Group of Eight’ (Go8) universities, plus several others in the better-performing group. Factor analysis indicates that the top-three research performers are the Universities of Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland in terms of total research performance and the Universities of Melbourne, Adelaide and Western Australia in per academic staff terms.

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